Welcome to the Aleph Sector Campaign blog, Sheffield University Wargames Society's narrative based campaign set in Games Workshop's Warhammer 40,000 universe.
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Sunday, September 09, 2007

Libria: The Massacre of Acronia Valley

On 0709.007M42 there was no great concern in the Librian system over the recent encounters with Tyranid creatures on Libria V. Each time they had attacked the Librian PDF, numbering around 300,000 on the outermost planet, had easily responded to and dealt with the threat, though the images of butchered civilians was not going down well with the public. Even the shadow in the warp being reported by Adeptus Primaris psykers and the Adeptus Astra Telepathicas was considered an annoyance rather than a serious threat.However this attitude changed on 0809.007M42 when scounting forces of the Librian 22nd Home Regiment reported massive activity to the north east of Daralon, in the broad and remote Acronia Valley. General Riddick, commander of all Imperial forces on Libria V, sent close to a third of his forces to the 75 mile long valley, with the intention of destroying the alien threat once and for all.

The Librian troops were surprised then to find that the Acronia valley was devoid of Tyranid activity when they arrived in the mid afternoon. In fact the valley was peaceful, though more than a few guardsmen noticed the strange sulphurous smell coupled with the rapid overgrowth of the natural Flora. Had they known Tyranids, hey would have left.

A screech from the sky alerted the Librian troopers to the danger, but before they could react to the sight of a winged hive tyrant flying above them the sky was filled with thousands of similarly winged Tyranid Warriors. The commander opened fire immediately but it was too late. Seconds later genestealers burst from the tangled undergrowth, surprising the Librians who had just seconds to try to figure out how they infiltrated their lines.

The battle of Acronia valley quickly became a one-sided massacre, as the winged warriors finished off what the genestealers had started. Even the destruction of a winged Hive tyrant was of little benefit, as lumbering monstrous Carnifexes crashed through the vegitation and bludgeoned their way through flesh and armour alike.

By the end of the day all contact had been lost with the Librian 22nd and the other troops in the Valley. The last sounds over the vox-net were anguished screams as more beasts tore through the Imperial lines. Shock at Imperial HQ in the Capital of Libria V was soon joined by terror as Daralon reported the sky filled with spores. Two ours later the town could not be raised on the vox-net. General Riddick sent a message ack to Librian HQ, requesting immediate reinforcement and assistance. The minor irritation had become a battle of life and death.